Thursday, 24 January 2013

I kept hearing rumours about council spending cuts and the
fate of the Mersey Valley and became increasingly concerned. So I e-mailed my
three local (i.e. Chorlton) councillors and asked them what was going on. The
text of my e-mail is below:

Dear Councillors,

I keep hearing rumours to the effect that the Mersey Valley Countryside Warden
Service is to be disbanded. Are these rumours true, or not? If the rumours are
true, are Friends groups, like the Friends of Chorlton Meadows, who have
devoted hundreds of hours of their free time to the Mersey Valley, going to be
properly informed and consulted - or are we just going to have to rely on
rumours?

Yours sincerely,
David Bishop, Chair of FoCM

So far I have had the following reply from
Cllr Victor Chamberlain:

The Mersey Valley Committee is meeting today [24.01.2013] and I
still haven't heard back what the outcome is.

I understand that the City Council's budget proposals mean that the service
will close down in April. A cut of £150,000 from MCC along with Trafford's lack
of a payment commitment mean that the service is unlikely to survive.

It's really poor that you haven't received any information about this so I will
ask the Council how they plan to engage Friends Groups in the proposals and the
future.

He subsequently wrote:

I understand that the meeting was very sombre and that members
accepted the budget cut. Some Councillors argued that Trafford Council's
decision to cut funding last December encouraged Manchester to do the same.
Apparently there is going to be a consultation which opens from today however
the service is likely to be run down between now and the end of March.

So, the Mersey Valley project appears to be
dead and the fate of a well-loved piece of local green space hangs in the
balance. As a long-term user of this green space myself I am saddened and
angry. I might also ask: What is the point of a consultation when the decision
already appears to have been made?

As you are a Mersey Valley user, I’m sure
that you will share my concerns, so please, please, please take some time to
express those concerns by e-mailing:

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Welcome to our blog

The Friends of Chorlton Meadows cover Chorlton Ees, Ivy Green and Hardy Farm community orchard. The group is interested in taking a practical approach to working with the Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service to manage the sites for the conservation of flora and fauna; and have an active programme of events through the year.